[Freeman, R. Austin, with Dr. James Pitcairn.] Ashdown, Clifford, pseud.

8vo, first edition of the author's first collection of detective stories, illustrations by Fred Pegram, original blue cloth lettered in gold, white pictorial image of detective with magnifying glass on upper cover, percival moran stone's copy (see below), preserved in dark blue folding box with morocco label, some foxing and slight staining to endpapers, some wear to cloth

Percival Moran Stone, with his initialled pencil notes on upper paste-down

It was Stone who discovered the true identity of Freeman and Pitcairn, behind the pseudonymn "Clifford  Ashdown". As his note on the endpaper records, "...R. Austin Freeman's first detective work, written under a pen name. Excess scarce. 7 June '46. 1 of 7 known copies. PMS". Also loosely inserted is a facimile of Moran's 1954 postcard to a friend, with information on Pitcairn.

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